Hamas command center found in Gaza's Al-Shifa hospital, says Israel
Israel claimed to have found an operational command center used by Hamas at Gaza's largest medical facility—Al-Shifa Hospital. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) released a video allegedly showing an entrance to a tunnel in an exterior section of the hospital, surrounded by debris. It claimed to have found a booby-trapped vehicle full of weapons like AK-47s, Rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs), sniper rifles, and other explosives. The IDF also recovered the body of Yehudit Weiss, a 65-year-old woman kidnapped by Hamas.
Why does this story matter?
Israel has been attacking hospitals in Gaza, contending that Hamas is using hospitals as cover for terrorists and has set up its main command beneath Al-Shifa Hospital. However, both Hamas and the staff of the hospital denied the allegations. Two and a half weeks after sending tanks and ground troops into northern Gaza, the IDF entered the hospital early on Wednesday. The number of deaths in Gaza since October 7 has reportedly crossed 11,500, with over 40% being children.
'Technological assets, combat equipment found at Al-Shifa Hospital': IDF
According to a statement by an IDF spokesperson, Al-Shifa Hospital housed "technological assets, along with military and combat equipment" of Hamas in one department and "an operational command center" in another. He added that Israeli forces entered the hospital and killed a number of Hamas terrorists. The IDF also claimed they were "continuing to operate in the hospital complex while extracting intelligence information and preventing harm to the medical teams and civilians sheltering there."
Watch: Video released by Israeli forces of arms cache
Hamas denies allegations, US supports Israeli claims
Hamas has refuted the Israeli accusations that it used Al-Shifa Hospital for military operations, calling the assertions a "blatantly false narrative." Nevertheless, the United States (US) supported the Israeli allegations and claimed its intelligence evaluation also corroborated the same. White House Spokesperson John Kirby stated that the US believed Hamas was using Al-Shifa as a command-and-control center and potentially as a storage site for terrorist attacks. The US would allow Israel to discuss their ongoing military operation, he added.
Aid organizations warn of dire humanitarian situation
As Israel claimed dominion over the northern region of Gaza, humanitarian aid groups warned that a ground invasion into the southern enclave could worsen an already crisis. Two major telecommunication companies in Gaza declared depletion of all their energy sources, resulting in a complete shutdown of services. Israel denied fuel imports due to apprehensions regarding potential military usage by Hamas. The United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) cautioned that without fuel, people will start to die.
Civilian casualties, ongoing military invasion
Following the October 7 attack by Hamas that killed 1,200 Israelis, Palestinian civilians suffered immensely during the retaliatory strikes by Israel against Hamas. Gaza health authority reported that at least 11,500 people have been confirmed dead due to Israeli bombardment. On the other hand, Israeli forces were not in the mood to end their operation, indicating that they might extend the campaign to other areas of the enclave, which houses 2.3 million residents.
